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Anastomoses of Transverse Tubules With Terminal Cisternae in Polymyositis
Samuel M. Chou, MD, PhD;
Ikuya Nonaka, MD;
Gerald F. Voice
Arch Neurol. 1980;37(5):257-266.
Abstract
• Abnormal transverse or T tubules spatially continuous with sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), as visualized with a lanthanum (La) tracer, were found in biopsy specimens from nine patients with polymyositis whose serum enzyme (creatine phosphokinase [CPK]) levels were elevated before the time of biopsy. On comparison with the T system in more than 50 control subjects without CPK elevation, it became apparent that presumed anastomoses of T tubules with SR were the most consistent anatomical correlates of the enzyme leakage. Two types of anastomoses were seen on the basis of passage of La: first, early segmental dilation of T tubules and perpendicular continuations with SR; and second, focal proliferation of T tubules forming "T tubule networks" and then anastomosing with SR at the periphery of the networks. The latter is considered to be a concurrent repair process for the injured triads. Lanthanum did not penetrate freely through the plasma membrane of necrotized muscle fibers. It is concluded that junctional sites between T tubules and SR may be the primary sites of leakage of sarcoplasmic enzymes in polymyositis.
Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Neurology and Pathology, West Virginia University Medical Center, Morgantown.
Footnotes
Accepted for publication June 6, 1977.
Reprint requests to Department of Pathology (Neuropathology), West Virginia University Medical Center, Morgantown, WV 26506 (Dr Chou).
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